ORDERLY MARKETING OF HONEY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 21052, 2 June 1938, Page 10

ORDERLY MARKETING OF HONEY

NEW PROPOSALS OOTLINED

CONTROL BY GOVERNMENT

After listening to proposals for the assumption of control of the marketing of honey by the Government outlined by Messrs W. Nelson (chairman of the Honey Control Board) and A. H. Honeyfield (representative of the Internal Marketing Department), the National Beekeepers Association at their annual conference yesterday carried, almost unanimously, a resolution endorsing the proposals and urging the Government to apply them in their entirety with the least possible delay.

POSITION OUTLINED MR W. NELSON'S REVIEW A review of the honey producers’ efforts to establish an organised market and better methods of handling the produce was given by Mr Nelson, who said that the three organisations concerned- the National Beekeepers’ Association, the Export Honey Control Board and New Zealand Honey Ltd., had jointly prepared a case for submission to the Executive Commission of Agriculture, the mast vital clauses being (1) that It would be In the interests of the producers that the controlling authority should take over the assets of New Zealand Honey Ltd. nt an agreed valuation; (2) that the whole of the marketing, both local and export to be under the supervision cf one authority, the whole of the honey sold by that authority to be pooled and payments made according to grade and irrespective of where the honey was sold. As the Government was not prepared at that time to accept actual marketing responsibility and there was no indication of their Intention to do so, it was proposed that the authority should be vested in a new board which would be responsible both to the Government and the producers. With the coming into existence of the Internal Marketing Department some time later, however, the necessity for a new marketing board did not arise. Advertising Campaign With a view to obtaining fresh outlets for our honey and generally increasing its consumption on the local market, the Board considered that a well directed advertising campaign emphasising the food value of honey should be undertaken by the Department with the least possible delay. The Board was emphatic, however, that the cost should be spread over all the com-ir-rclally produced honey and should not be loaded solely on the honey handled by the Marketing Division. The Fiard believed that ultimately practically all the producers would send forward their honey voluntarily to the Department’s central depot, for the trade was reaching the stage where no single producer would And it profitable to install the plant necessary to process it. In certain districts honey of unblendable and distinctive flavour could be accepted by the Department only at a price showing a most disappointing return. Under existing conditions. those producers were able to dispose of their honey in their own territory at a price which made production just worthwhile. The Board fell that it would be extremely undesirable to establish marketing regulations that would virtually mean putting producers of that class of honey out of business. In order to facilitate the co-ordination of export and local marketing, the Board had formally passed over its export trading powers to the Internal Marketing Division, said Mr Nelson, and would assist the Division with technical advice and might be helpful in the construction of plant. Disposal of Existing Stocks In a statement of the position read at the first meeting of the new Board it was found that at March 31 last the London agents held in stock 60 tons of Australian honey and 17 tons of other purchased honey. The short crop last season was responsible for the Board receiving less than 100 tons cf honey to meet an overseas demand of 600 tons. The 77 tons on hand at the close of March represented the amount still to be sold of the honey purchased by the late board to meet the requirements of a certain established overseas trade. Now that there were ample supplies of New Zealand honey available, the question as to the best method of disposing of the purchased carryover honey had been the subject of a thorough investigation by the Division. “I wish it to be understood that the Board has been kept fully informed of the position and that the policy decided upon by the Marketing Division concerning the honey in question meets with the entire approval and support of the Honey Control Board," said Mr Nelson. The Board's indebtedness to the Treasury now r.tood at £5142, Mr Nelson continued. It was the intention of the late board to pay £l5OO of that amount but, in view of the posiion arising from the unexpeced difficulties of last season, it was found that the payment of that sum would tax unfairly the small amount of honey sent forward by suppliers. The Board, therefore, was applying to the Treasury to have the repayments now due, together with a substantial portion of the amount still owing, written off, or if that were not possible to have repayment spread over a longer period of years. Liquid Honey The question of the Department accepting liquid honey had been close-

ly studied, said Mr Nelson. At present regulations required producers to hold their honey until it granulated before sending it to the grade store. In some districts the granulating process mlgnt take up to four months and that involved some hardship on producers requiring prompt cash for their honey. Producers, therefore, would be glad to know that it was the intention of the Marketing Division to accept liquid honey next season at all honey grading stores provided it was packed in specified containers with leak proof lids. The Board had also made recommendations with a view to having honey packed in single tin packages. Of the many advantages which had already become evident as a result of the change-over were the following: (1) Unified control over both export and local market ensuring adequate supplies of honey to the best market offering. (2) Prompt payment to producers of a substantial portion of the honey’s full market value. (3> Better provision for handling and packing, thus reducing costs. (4) In better position to increase consumption of honey by suitable publicity. <st More stable marketing organisation enabling long range planning. 16) Better able to co-ordinate to the interests of producers and consumers. "Costly past experience has taught the producer the folly of individual competitive selling, but I fear the real difficulty of bringing order out of chaotic selling is not fully appreciated," said Mr Nelson. ‘.‘lt becomes doubly difficult, and sometimes almost impossible, for a Government to assist an industry where no organisation exists to represent it. This fact perhaps explains why the Hon. W. Nash, Minister of Marketing, in an Interview with representatives of your organisation some 18 months ago, counselled the honey producers to hold fast to the organisations they already possessed until the Government was ready to apply its policy and give practical effect to the beekeepers’ request. Tire beekeepers have profited well by observing the Minister’s advice,” concluded Mr Nelson. At the conclusion of his address, Mr Nelson replied in committee to a circular issued by former members of the Honey Control Board.